WhatsApp messenger as a tool to supplement medical education for medical students on clinical attachment

Abstract

BackgroundInstant messaging applications have the potential to improve and facilitate communication between hospital doctors and students, hence generating and improving learning opportunities. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of instant messaging communication to supplement medical education for medical students whilst on clinical attachment.MethodsA total of 6 WhatsApp Messenger (WhatsApp Inc.) groups were created for medical students on clinical attachment. These were used to provide communication within Problem Based Learning (PBL) groups for a duration of 8 weeks. The frequency and type of communication were recorded. Students’ opinions were evaluated through a structured interview process at the end of the study period. A thematic analysis was performed on the content of the instant messaging groups and on the results of the structured interviews.ResultsAll of the participants were active in their respective messaging groups (19 students and 6 tutors). A total of 582 messages, 22 images and 19 webpage links were sent. Thematic analysis on content of the instant messaging groups identified the following themes: organisational, educational and social. Thematic analysis on the content of interviews identified themes such as the ease of use of instant messaging, benefit of instant messaging to foster understanding and learning, and the ability to access recorded discussions.ConclusionThe findings of this study illustrate a method by which communication within PBL groups can be facilitated by the use of instant messaging. The results indicate the feasibility and acceptability of WhatsApp Messenger in supplementing PBL teaching for medical students, and provides a framework for studies to investigate use amongst larger cohorts of students.

Appropriating WhatsApp‐mediated postgraduate supervision to negotiate “relational authenticity” in resource‐constrained environments

“…Despite the growing literature on the contribution of authentic learning environments to support student learning (Ng’ambi & Brown, ), applying authentic learning as a pedagogical model (Herrington, ) and facilitating problem‐solving in entrepreneurship curricula (Lindsay & Wood, ), these studies concentrate on undergraduate teaching, not postgraduate supervision. Moreover, the research on the pedagogical possibilities of MIM to supplement medical instruction during attachment (Raiman, Antbring, & Mahmood, ) and enhance student academic achievement (Davidivitch & Yavich, ) fails to address the authentic processes of supervision. In view of the paucity of research that explores the interface among postgraduate supervision, authentic supervision environments and the academic possibilities of low‐cost ubiquitous technologies, the current study explores the question: How does WhatsApp‐mediated postgraduate supervision foster the social construction and negotiation of existential and relational authenticity in resource‐constrained contexts ?…”

WhatsApp® como Recurso para a Educação em Saúde: Contextualizando Teoria e Prática em um Novo Cenário de Ensino-Aprendizagem

“…O uso de aplicativos de celulares na educação médica aumentou a participação dos estudantes, aperfeiçoando a comunicação entre discentes e professores 1 A formação médica se beneficia muito com experiências como essas, que podem ser adaptadas e utilizadas em outros componentes curriculares, pois permitem aos discentes a revisão, aplicação e contextualização de conteúdos fundamentais à sua futura prática profissional. Acreditamos que, além de elementos fundamentais à relação médico-paciente, os mé-dicos devem saber manejar as informações teóricas advindas de livros e artigos científicos, como também saber construir saberes de forma crítica e compartilhada, utilizando diversas tecnologias ao seu alcance, para estarem cada vez mais próxi-mos e presentes, de forma qualificada, ética e acolhedora, da população de que cuidam.…”

Does time matter? WhatsApp vs electronic mail for dental education. A pilot study

“…WhatsApp has demonstrated to be useful for different purposes for education [1][2][3][4]6. WhatsApp has demonstrated to be useful for different purposes for education [1][2][3][4]6.…”